Elizabeth Warren Won’t Reject Super PAC Help Unless All Other Democrats Do

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) on Thursday refused to disavow a newly-formed super PAC aimed at boosting her presidential campaign — despite her public opposition to Super PACs and repeated calls to banish big money from politics.

“The first day I got in this race over a year ago, I said I hope every presidential candidate who comes in will agree no super PACs for any of us. I renewed that call dozens of times, and I couldn’t get a single Democrat to go along with me,” Warren told reporters when asked about the super PAC during a campaign event in Nevada.

“If all the candidates want to get rid of super PACs, count me in. I’ll lead the charge. But that’s how it has to be. It can’t be the case that a bunch of people keep them and only one or two don’t,” the Massachusetts Democrat added.

Warren’s comments come after Persist PAC — a pro-Warren committee — reserved roughly $800,000 in television and radio advertising in Nevada, Advertising Analytics reported this week. The move represents the largest outside advertiser in the key primary state ahead of Saturday’s Democrat caucuses, notes Politico.

Warren has said that she opposes support from high-dollar donors and repeatedly vowed not to take money from super PACs for her White House campaign. Earlier this month, the senator railed against her Democrat rivals for taking large checks from big-money groups.

“Everyone on this stage except Amy [Klobuchar] and me is either a billionaire or is receiving help from PACs that can do unlimited spending,” she declared during the Manchester, New Hampshire, debate. “If you really want to live where you say, then put your money where your mouth is and say no to the PACs.”

Yet, in a statement, Warren’s campaign claims Persist PAC’s ad buy does not go against the candidate’s pledge to blunt the donor class’s influence on politics.

“Senator Warren’s position hasn’t changed. Since day one of this campaign, she has made clear that she thinks all of the candidates should lock arms together and say we don’t want super PACs and billionaires to be deciding our Democratic nominee,” Warren campaign spokesman Chris Hayden said.

The Super PAC’s creation comes after Warren finished in third place in the Iowa caucuses and fourth-place in New Hampshire. The Massachusetts Democrat recently cut back advertising in South Carolina, another key primary state, to boost her ad buy in the Silver State.